System for operating the exit and trap doors of railway coaches



- til 5 1927. 7

AP H. ROWNTREE ET AL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING THE EXIT AND TRAP DOORS 0F RAILWAY COACHES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1925 Ill- anon Wm 5 1927. April v H. ROWNTREE ET AL SYSTEM FUR OPERATING THE EXIT AND TRAP DOORS 0F RAILWAY COACHES Filed May 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 flew/afar 1,623,556 AP" 1927 H. ROWNTRYEE E AL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING THE EXIT AND TRAP DOORS OF RAILWAY COACHES Filed May 23, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BRESSU/Pf f angle/141 01 flum% 1,623,556 P 1 1927" H. ROWNTREE ET AL SYSTEM FOR OPERATING THE EXIT AND TRAP DOORS 0F RAILWAY COACHES Filed May 23, 1925 [4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bi f Smoemtoz A6 3 M M Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

I 1,623,556 UNITED STATES P E T QFF iaAao n 'rtowivainlnn or scnnsnaLE, NEW YORK, Ann noscon D. ooNKLIN, F' AH- WAY, NEXVJERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO NATIONAL rnnnlyrarlo Qo PAN'YQOF'NEW roaK, iv; a, A coitronarion or wE-srvfReIiv-IA.

sYsirEM FOR oaaaameeaa Exrr- AND TRAP poems on RAILWAY eoi ionne Application filed May 2 3, 1925. serial no; 32,313; Y

This invention relates to railway coaches of the character described provided with the usual steps normally covered by ahinged trap door flush with the platform and which platform isclosed by an exit door. When such a car stops to take on or discharge passengers from a low level platform steps are required and accordingly the exit door is not only opened, but the trap door is lifted toallow free access to the steps. hen the car stops, however, at a high level platform, i. e., one which is at substantially the same elevation as the top of the trap door, the steps are not requiredand although the exit door must be opened, the trap door remains down.

The object of the present invention is to provide a system whereby the operations of the doors may be controlled by the motor man, but wherein the operation of the trap door is automatically controlled by the pres in the case of a low level platform, both doors should be actuated.

[A further object of the invention is to provide certain safety features which will preclude'the operation of the doors, in the event some ori'elis in a position to be injured through such operation.

-Another feature of the invention resides in means for controlling the operation of the doors in predetermined. sequence, so that.

the e-Xit door may be opened prior to the raising of the trap door and closed subsequent. to the lowering of the trap door.

In the preferred mannerof carrying out the present invention, both the exit and trap doors are operated by pneumatic en-.

gines which are primarily controlled by a p suitable control valve preferably operable,

before .the engine ofthetrap door is permitted to come into operation, and thetrap door must be fully closed before the engine of the exit door can come into operationto close its door. The interaction between these engines may be: purely pneumatic, purely electric, or may be electropneumatic,if desired.

level platform so thatif such a platformfis present, the trap door will be precluded from operation, while if absent, operation of the trap door will result at the 'completion of the operation of the opening of the exit door. This arrangement brings about an automatic control of the trap door, causing the door to be. raised when the car is adjacent a low level platform audit is in lowered position when the car is adjacent a high level platform. i l i Features of the invention, other than" those adverted to, will be apparent from the" hereinafter detailed description and claims,

when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists sulistantially. in the construction, combination, location'and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set .forth, as shown by the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l is a side elevation of one end of a railway coach, showing the present in vention associated therewith.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of'the coach shown in'Figure 1. i 1 F igure 3 is a fragmental plan View showing the relationship of the exit door operating engine to the door which it operates.

Figure 4: is a diagrammatic layout illustrating the preferred form of the complete system of the present invention; and,

Figure 5 illustrates a sliglitlynnodified form, of construction.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the exit door and Q'the trap door associated with one side of the platform atone end-of a can, The exit door is mounted on and from open to closed position and vice versa.

The trap door 2 is mounted on a horizontal shaft at carried in bearings 5 and on which shaft, as a pivot, the trap door may be swung up or down as may be required. lVhen the trap door is in lowered position it lies in a horizontal plane with its upper surface flush with the vestibule platform 6 of the car.

lVith the exit door is associated an operating engine 7 which, as best shown in Figure 3, is connected by a link 8 to an arm 9, secured to the vertical shaft 3, so that through the operation of the engine 7, the shaft may be oscillated to open or close the door.

A pneumatic engine 10 is provided to operate the trap door 2 and this engine is connected by means of a link 11 to an arm 12, rigid with the shaft 1, shown best in Figure 1. The engines are controlled, primarily, from a control valve 13, shown best in Figure 4.

14 designates the car steps by way of which passengers are adapted to pass from the vestibule platform of the ear to a low level platform, and vice versa. These steps, which have heretofore been made rigid with the car frame are, in accordance with the present invention, pivoted at 15, as shown best in Figure 1, and are held in normal position by a spring 16, one end of which bears against a rigid stop 17 and the'other end of which bears against a bracket 18 carried by the steps. A bolt or stop as shown at 18 may be used if desired, which will be operated by the trap door to prevent the steps oscillating during the motion of the train, by holding the steps rigid when the trap door is down, but this stop is retracted when the trap door is raised so as to permit the steps to slightly yield when the weight of a person is imposed thereon.

19 designates whatmay be graphically termed a feeler. This feeler comprises a cylinder mounted rigidly on the car and in which cylinder is positioned a piston 20 (Fig. at) having a stem 21, which projects through one end of the cylinder and in a lateral direction with reference to the car and is provided. at its free end with a shoe 22. The fecler is positioned at a height adapting it to cooperate with the edge of a high level platform P, but a spring 23 normally forces the piston into retracted position to withdraw the shoe 22 from engagement with the platform.

The particular structural details of the various elements to which we have referred may be varied without departing from this invention which consists mainly in the maner in which these various parts are connected for interaction so that the operation of one part may control the'operation of another andivice vers'a.- T0 this end the controlvalve lSCODIlQCtdbY means of a pipe 23 to one end of the cylinder of the exit door engine (see Figure 1-) and in this pipe is included a cut off valve 24. This valve is a double action valve and embodies a casing 25 in which is positioned two sealing members 26 and 27 rigid on a common stem and acted upon by a spring 28 to force the sealing member 26 normally to its seat and to unseat the sealing member 27. The stem projects to a point directly beneath the trap door 2 which is normally slightly elevated by a spring 29. So long as there is no weight imposed on the trap door, the spring 29 will slightly elevate said door while the spring 28 will seat the sealing member 26 so that pressure can flow from the control valve to the engine 7. If, however, a person is standing on the trap door 2 at the time the control valve is moved into a position to effect opening of the exit door, the weight of such person will depress the spring 29 causing the trap door to force the valve stem down and seat the sealing member 27, so as to preclude passage of pressure to the engine 7 of the exit door.

If it be assumed that no one is standing on the trap door 2, then the pressure communicated to the engine 7 will cause thepiston therein to move to the right in Figure 4c and as a result the exit door will be opened through the conventional connections.

It will be noted, however, that after the piston has moved sufficiently to fully open the exit door, such piston will uncover the pipe 30 which leads to the rear end of the fecler cylinder 19. After the exit door has been fully opened, pressure will be communicated to the feeler and will he applied to he rear end of the feeler piston 20, the shoe of which is in retracted position as snown in Figure 2. If the car is at rest adjacent a high level platform, the pressure admitted to the cylinder 19 will simply force the shoe against the edge of the platform which will constitute a stop to preclude more extensive movement of the piston. lf, however, the car is at rest adjacent a low level platform, the piston will be free to move to the left in Figure 4 under the pressure admitted to the rear of the cylinder for a .suflicient distance to uncover a pipe 3-31 which leads directly to the end of the trap door operating engine 10. Pressure thus conimunicated to the engine 10 will ell'ect the operation of the engine with a consequent lifting of the trap door.

It will thus be apparent that the feclcr will automatically control the operation of the trap door. That is to say, if the car stops at a high level platform where the use of steps is not necessary, the. feeler will preclude the pneumatic pressure from reaching the engine of the trap door whereas if a low level platform is encountered,the feeler will allow pressure to be conveyed to the engine llt) with the car steps, holds the bracket free vtroin engagement of trapdoor and said door" will; be raised.

purposeof closing such doors as have been opened, the controller valve handle 32 is moved" into the dotted line position of Figlo-wsQ p 7 Pressure is conveyed; from the valve through a pipe 33 which leads to the oppoure 4, whereupon the flow ot fluid is as fols1te end of the trap door engine and in this pipe is included'a: cut off valve 3st or": a construction identical with the valve 27. The stem of the cut ofl valve extends into proximity with the bracket 18 associated The spring l6 normally w'iththe valve stem, but it a person is standmg on the steps a spring 16 \Vlll be com pressed and the Valve will seal the pipe 33,

so that fluid pressure cannot be fed to the engine 10. The purpose oi this arrange ment is to preclude the folding down of the trap door in the event that some one is standing on the steps. If this should occur the person onthe steps'would he very liable to injury.

i It no one is standing on the stops when pressure is admitted into the pipe 33 such pi is fed through said pipe to the engine 10 and the piston of said engine is caused to travel to the left in Figure a. in order to-etl'ect the fohjling; down of the trap idoor. ,AIter the door has been folded down and the piston of the engine lO re-achesthe terminus otits travel, ll? uncovers a pipe 34: which leadsdir-ectly to the closing" end of the exit door engine 7* so that when this pipe is uncovered andprcssurc is ted thereto through the engine 7," the exit door is automatically closed. c

In Figure 5, we have shown a c0nstruc- 'tion which is very similar to the construcrespondsto the chech valve 34.

The valve ism'aa'netically operated and is included in an electric circuit of which a bridge piece forms a part. The bridgepiece 36 is carried on but insulated from a post 37 rigid with the trap door 2 and when the trap "door is-raised by the spring 29', the bridgepiece isfree from the contacts with which it is'adapteclzu tor cooperation -lilow ever, if weight is imposed on the trap door 2, the trap door will be depressed againstthte tension; of the spring 29 and the bridge piece 36 will complete the circuit and cause the valve to preclude the passage of fluid pressure through the pipe in which it is included. The same arrangement applieswit reference to the valve 34 It willt be apparent that Figure 5 difii'ers tron Figure 4 merely in that the latter figure includes theoperation of the check valves electrically whereas the former figure shows them as operated directly and mechanically.

It is to be particularly noted that-the arrangement of parts which wehave described insures absolute safety to passengers and the same time assures a proper s vnchronism or sequence in the operations ottheparts, only such parts being operated as are'essential to the practical conditionsprevalent the time of operation, The movement of the trap door is automatically governed by the presence or absence of a high level platform. and the parts are so coupled together that the trapdoor cannot open unless the exit door is already opened and will close before the exit door can close. The svstem operates with absolute efficiency and provides complete automatic control of the parts which it is desired to operate. The

motorman or guard is only required to op erate the control valve, the remainine; parts of the system are entirelyautomatic. l n Figures 4 and 5 we have shown a. conventional type of cushioning; valves wherchv the doors are slowed up and cushioned they approach the limit of their movement.

Therefore, having set forth the objects and nature of our invention and having shown and described an operative structure embodyingthe principles thereof, what we claim as new and of our own invention, and I desire to secure by Letters Patient is 1. In a system of the character described. the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normallv covering the steps, offagencies for operating the said doors in* predetern'iined sequence, manually operable means for initiating the operation of said agencies. and means for rendering; said agencies irresponsive to the manually operable means while a passenger is standing on the trap doom 2. In a system of thecharacter described the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normallv covering the steps, of pneumatic agencies for opening said doors in predetermined scquence, a manually operable pneumatic control valve for initiating the operation of said agencies, and a cutoff valve, operable by the trap door when the weight of a passenger is imposed on said door,for renderlng sald agencies irresponsive to the control valve.

3. In a system of the character described.

the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of pneumatic agencies for closing the doors in predetermined sequence, a control valve for initiating the operation of said agencies and a cut off valve, operable by the steps when the weight of a passenger is imposed on said steps for rendering the said agencies irresponsive to the control valve.

4. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit. door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of agencies for opening and closing the doors in predetermined sequence, manually operable means for initiat ing the operation of said agencies to open or close the doors, means for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the manually operable means to open the doors while a passenger is standing on the trap door, and means for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the manually operable means to close the doors while a passenger is standing on the steps.

5. In a system of the character described. the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of pneumatic agencies for opening and closing the doors in predetermined sequence, a pneumatic control valve for initiating the operation of said agencies to open or close the doors, a cut oil valve for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the control valve to open the doors while a. passenger is standing on the trap door, and a cut off valve for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the control valve to close the doors while a passenger is standing on the steps.

6. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of agencies for opening the doors in predetermined sequence, man-- ually operable means for initiating the operation of said agencies, and means, controlled by the proximity of a high level station platform, for rendering the operating agencies of the trap door inoperative when the car is in proximity to such platform.

7. In a system of the characterdescribed, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of pneumatic agencies for opening the doors in predetermined sequence, a pneumatic control valve for initiating the operation of said agencies, and means, controlled by the proximity of a high level station platform, for rendering the operating agencies of the trap door inoperative when the car is in proximity to such platform.

8. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of agencies for opening and closing the doors in predetermined sequence. manually operable means for initiating the operation of said agencies to open or close the doors, means for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the manually operable means to open the doors while a passenger is standing on the trap door, means for rendering said agencies irresponsive to the manually operable means to close the doors while a passenger is standing on the steps, and means, controlled by the proximity of a high level station platform, for rendering the operating agencies incapable of opening the trap door when the car is in proximity to such platform.

9. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of an engine for operating the exit door, an engine for operating the trap door, connections between said engines for conveying power from one engine to the other in predetern'iined sequence, and manually operable means for controlling the feed of power to one of the engines.

10. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of an engine for opening the exit door, an engine for opening the trap door, connections between said engines for conveying power from one engine to the other in predetermined sequence, manually operable means for controlling the feed of power to the engine of the exit door, and means included in the connections between the engines, and controlled by the proximity of a high level platform, for precluding the conveying of power to the operating engine of the trap door when the car is in proximity with such platform.

11. In a system of the character described. the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normallv covering the steps, of a pneumatic engine for opening the exit door, a pneumatic engine for opening the trap door, a conduit leading from the engine of the exit door to the engine of the trap door and atlapted to convey power to the latter engine from i e former after the exit door engine has been operated to open the exit door, and a pneumatic valve for controlling the feed of power to the engine of the exit door.

12. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of a pneumatic engine for opening the exit door, a pneumatic engine for opening the trap door, a conduit leading from the engine of the exit door to the engine of the trap door and adapted to convey power to the latter engine from the former after the exit door engine has been operated to open the exit door, a pneumatic valve for controlling the feed of power to the engine of the exit door, and a valve included in said conduit, and controlled by the proxilnity of a high level platform, for precluding the communication of power to the engine of the trap door when the car is in proximity with such platform.

13. In a system of the character described, the combination with a car having an exit door, steps and a trap door for normally covering the steps, of a pneumatic engine -for operating the exit door and embodying a cylinder with a piston therein, a pneumatic engine for operating the trap door, a conduit leading from one end of the cylinder of the trap door engine to a point intermediate the ends of the cylinder of the exit door engine, a conduit leading from the end of the cylinder of the exit door engine to a point intermediate the ends of the cylinder of the trap door engine, a valve included in the latter conduit and which valve is adapted to precludethe flow of pressure through the conduit when the car is in proximity with a high level platform, a manually operable valve, conduits leading from said valve to the cylinders of both door engines, and cut off valves positioned in the last mentioned conduits, said cut oil valves being operable to automatically seal'their respective conduits when a passenger is on the trap door or steps. 1

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands on this 29tlrday of April, A. D. 1925.

HAROLD RO'WNTREE. ROSOOE D. CONKLIN. 

